Agri-Pulse Open Mic Interview

This week's guest on Open Mic is Dr. Alison Van Eenennaam, a genomics and biotechnology researcher at the University of California, Davis.  Her work in animal breeding was inspired by Dr. Norman Borlaug's efforts to resolve hunger issues with genetically engineered plants.  Van Eenennaam believes science has been left out of the debate over how foods should be labeled saying nutritional benefits a...

This week's guest on Open Mic is John Weber, President of the National Pork Producers Council.  In this interview, Weber speaks to opportunities and challenges on the horizon for the nation's swine industry.  While global demand for protein, especially pork, continues to grow, Weber and members of the NPPC adamantly support the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement to grant greater market acce...

This week's guest on Open Mic is Carl Casale, President and CEO of CHS Inc.  The cyclical pendulum has brought the ag industry from record highs to lows not seen since the early 1980's. In this week's interview, Carl Casale shares a view that the industry hasn't yet seen the bottom of the income swing. Despite the current challenge, Casale shares a bright view for the next generation of the indust...

This week's guest on Open Mic is Chris Novak, CEO of the National Corn Growers Association.  In this week's interview, Novak shares the global vision of the NCGA's most recent strategic planning process and the Washington legislative agenda including continued work on a national GMO food labeling standard.  He also reacts to negative opinions on global trade from the campaign trail and shares why...

Our guest this week on Open Mic is Colorado U.S. Senator Cory Gardner. With a family farm machinery business in operation for over a century, Senator Gardner shares his experience with the cyclical nature of the agriculture industry and the need for farmers to have access to new advances in technology to remain productive and profitable. In the discussion this week Gardner shares thoughts on the E...

This week’s guest on Open Mic is U.S. Senator John Boozman. As the U.S. Congress returns to Capitol Hill this week, the Arkansas Republican expects much attention will be devoted to the appropriations process with a view of accomplishing the major work on spending bills before the end of the fiscal year. In this week’s interview, Senator Boozman shares his view on crafting federal rules on GMO foo...

This week’s guest on Open Mic is US Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. In this exclusive interview, the Kentucky Republican shares a very dismal view for approving a new trade agreement this year and his plans to see the appropriations process complete under regular order. McConnell shares his frustration with the Obama administration’s environmental agenda and thoughts on finding a compromis...

This week’s guest is Alabama 4th District Representative Robert Aderholt, who chairs the House Appropriations subcommittee on agriculture. In this week’s interview, Aderholt discusses his views on how appropriators addressed issues like SNAP benefits, rural development, sodium restrictions, additional testing for antibiotics in livestock production, crop insurance and funds to educate consumers on...

This week's Open Mic features U.S. Trade Ambassador Michael Froman and Kevin Kester, a California beef producer and vice president of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association. In this interview, Froman and Kester layout what they say are the short- and long-term advantages of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement. Ambassador Froman talks about the effect TPP will have on China and potenti...

This week’s guest on Open Mic is Shirley Bloomfield, CEO of NTCA-The Rural Broadband Association. The Federal Communications Commission followed last year’s designation of broadband as a utility with additional support for internet service providers to bring communications to a larger section of rural America. In this week’s interview, Bloomfield discusses the complicated decisions involved with p...

This week’s guest on Open Mic features Kendal Frazier, CEO of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. In this informative interview, Frazier responds to the challenges presented by the EPA’s WOTUS rules and how new ozone standards can be a detriment to land management. On trade, Frazier says the TPP agreement must be ratified by Congress to maintain markets and gain access to the globe’s growin...

This week’s guest on Open Mic is Paul Johnson, co-chair of the U.S. Ag Coalition for Cuba. President Obama’s historical trip to Havana last week was another step in the administration’s effort to normalize relations between the U.S. and our closest Communist neighbor to the south. In this interview, Johnson says Cuban policy is no longer “somebody else’s issue.” Johnson believes Cuban trade policy...

This week’s guest on Open Mic is U.S. Senator John Thune. In this interview, the South Dakota Republican shares his frustration with the chamber’s failure to craft a national voluntary labeling bill for foods that contain ingredients from genetically enhanced crops. Senator Thune points attention to the role the minority must play in bringing the issue to a successful conclusion. Thune also addres...

This week’s guest on Open Mic is Rod Snyder, President of Field to Market. With nearly 100 members and growth in active projects, sourcing programs and participating acres, the alliance for sustainable agriculture is answering consumer calls for transparency in food production. In this interview, Snyder discusses how the food production industry is placing greater emphasis on sustainability and re...

This week’s guest on Open Mic is John Bode, CEO and President of the Corn Refiners Association, who talks about the chaos, confusion and higher food costs that could result if Vermont’s GMO labeling law goes into effect July 1. Senate Agriculture leaders are wrestling with a path forward to preempt the law with a new federal labeling standard. In this timely interview, Bode offers results of a stu...

This week’s guest on Open Mic is U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp, who shares make or break provisions of the GMO labeling bill scheduled for consideration this week. The North Dakota Democrat sees the food labeling debate as another opportunity to consider a voluntary Country-of-Origin Labeling program for meat. She also talks about currency manipulation and expanded trade opportunities for farmers an...

This week’s Open Mic guest is Richard Wilkins, President of the American Soybean Association. In this week’s interview, Wilkins discusses how the vacancy on the Supreme Court may affect the Obama administration’s environmental policy, the soybean farmer’s view of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement, whether or not the new farm bill protects farmers during times of lower crop prices and t...

This week’s guest on Open Mic is Jim Walker, Vice President of Case IH North America Agriculture Division and Chair of the Ag Sector Board for the Association of Equipment Manufacturers. A progressive downturn in net farm income has brought a significant decline in the equipment industry. In this interview Walker tells Agri-Pulse he expects further declines but says advances in technology will fue...

This week’s Open Mic Guest is the new President of the American Farm Bureau Federation Zippy Duvall. As a representative of the nation’s largest general farm organization, Duvall says it’s important for the farm and rural voice to be heard on the national and local level. In this interview Duvall speaks to the industry’s ongoing battle to stop the EPA’s Waters of the US regulations, the need for a...

This week’s guest on Open Mic is Greg Ibach, President of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture. The group begins their 100th anniversary celebration with their winter policy forum this week in Washington. In this interview Ibach shares the group’s hope for increased trade opportunities with the Trans Pacific Partnership trade accord, their concern for pollinator health and...

This week’s guest on Open Mic is Jean Ronnei, President of the School Nutrition Association.  The Senate Agriculture Committee took the first step toward school nutrition reauthorization last week with a bipartisan compromise on critical reform issues.  Jean Ronnei says the legislation addresses both hunger and nutrition.  Ronnei shares her concerns over declining student participation and funding...

This week’s interview features Ambassador Darci Vetter, Chief Agriculture Negotiator with the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. Ambassador Vetter expects a positive year for global trade with the anticipated congressional approval of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPA) agreement and conclusion of the ongoing Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) talks. Vetter responds to spe...

This week’s guest on Open Mic is Dr. Gary Adams, President and CEO of the National Cotton Council. In this update you’ll hear why the industry is calling on a cottonseed designation from the USDA and concerns the cotton and textile industry have with the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal. While the 2014 Farm Bill provided greater risk management tools for farmers, many producers may be challeng...

This week’s Open Mic guest is American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman. In this interview, Stallman reflects on his tenure as leader of the nation’s largest general farm organization and many of the changes that occurred. Stallman discusses accomplishments in the last session of Congress and identifies ominous challenges still facing the industry on Capitol Hill and in courtrooms acr...

Our guest on this edition of Agri-Pulse Open Mic is Andy LaVigne, President and CEO of the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA). The seed industry is among many groups hoping Washington will approve legislation to establish a national voluntary GMO labeling standard. In this in-depth interview, Andy LaVigne discusses industry implications if Congress fails to develop national guidelines to overr...